Free Workout Guides

What is a Set and a Rep?
A rep is the number of times you perform an exercise before a rest period.
A set is the number of cycles of reps that you complete.

How Many Sets should I do?
Research shows that a beginner can get the same benefits from doing one set then a beginner doing three or four. The reason for this is because muscles respond quickly to resistance exercise in untrained individuals. However, after about three months, individuals will become less responsive and multiple sets (three to five sets) will become necessary.

How many reps should I do?
This basically depends on what you want to achieve. their are three basic types: muscular strenght, muscular endurance, and muscular size.

• If you want to gain muscular strength, I would recommend doing 1-5 reps. This means you have to be fatigued by the 5th rep at latest.
• If you want to gain muscular endurance, I would recommend doing 15-20 reps. Muscular endurance will give you that lean and toned look.
• If you want to gain muscular size, I would recommend doing 6-12 reps. Again the point of this is to fatigue your muscles by the 12th rep at the latest and the 8th rep at the earliest.

How much should I rest between sets?

• For muscular strength, you should rest between 3-5 minutes.
• For muscular endurance, you should rest about 1min to 1min 30 seconds.
• for muscular size, you should rest about 1min 30 seconds to 2mins.

How many days should I lift?
Beginners’ can work out around two to three days a week.
More advanced lifters should be lifting at least four times a week.

How much weight should I start with?
This is basically trial and error. Try to estimate how much you think you can do realistically. Don't look at a professionally body builder and assume you can lift what he is lifting. It is always better to start off with lest weight than more weight.
Also remember proper form is key to insuring muscle development and preventing against injury, when you try and lift too much you lose form.

Free weights vs. machines

Machines
Pulleys, cams, and cables provide increased control over the direction and pattern of resistance.

Advantages to machines: Safety, flexibility, Ease of use.

Machines are probably the best for beginners until they are able to develop balance to use free weights.

Free weights
Gravity is the source of resistance.

Advantages to free weights: Whole body training, Simulation of real life activities.

Because of the whole body training you achieve from free weights they are generally better.

How important is the order in which I perform exercises?
Research shows that the order in which you perform exercises greatly affects strength. Also, it is grounds for making a workout schedule.
EX: If you work out you're bicep and then try and do lat pull-downs (which use biceps, shoulders and back), you wont be able to do as many because your biceps are to fatigued.